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Ostinops decumanus, and of other relatives about her own size, as

she may find convenient.


“ Uniform glossy violaceous black ; bill and feet black ;

neck-feathers lengthened and expanded ; whole length 14 inches.

. . . . Female similar, but not so bright, and much smaller ; no

expanded neck-feathers.”—My bird’s eyes were reddish or

reddish-brown.



THE AUSTRALIAN WOOD-SWALLOWS.


By H. R. Filrmer.


I believe that nothing has hitherto appeared in our

Magazine about these curious birds, beyond a brief reference in

Show Reports. So far as I am aware, they had never been

imported alive until last year, when a few were brought over,

and were exhibited at Shows by one or two of our leading

exhibitors of foreign birds.


Last June, I was most generously presented by Mr. Russell

Humphrys with two examples, together with a number of other

valuable birds. They had been in Mr. Humphrys’ possession

for some months, and I still have them, both apparently in good

health.


There are two or three nearly allied species. Mine I

believe to be Artamus sordidus, and I think that all other

examples imported have been of the same species. My birds

are exactly alike, and I do not know their sex. They are about

the size of a Bullfinch, and are not beautiful, the general colour

of the plumage being sooty-grey or smoke-colour, with a white

tip to the tail. The under wing-coverts are white. The bill is

steel-blue, darker at the end. The feet and claws, which are

large and strong, are lead-colour. They are not very lively,

except when excited by the sight of a mealworm. They are very

tame, and will allow themselves to be handled : I judge from

this that they were hand-reared.


I have had no difficulty in keeping them on my usual

mixture for insectivorous birds, which consists mainly of ants’

eggs and fine crissel. They have about half a dozen mealworms

each, every day, and now and then some cooked meat chopped

fine.


Judging from the shape of the bill, and their voracity, I

should say that the}'' are much more nearly allied to the Shrikes

than to the true Swallows.


I keep mine in a large cage by themselves, so that I know



